Wire tightening clip



Jam-19,1937. v c. E. HEDRICK ,068,176

WIRE TIGHTENING CLIP Filed Nov. 22, 1935 "ac; ,JQI- I Q 3 INVENTOR. CL/IQE/VCE E. HEDQIC/fi ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in a wire tightening clip and more particularly to barbed wire such as commonly used in the construction of a fence.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a means to tighten strands of barbed wire such as commonly used in the construction of fences and especially where lines of great length are required, in which case the strands will stretch and sag between posts and to restretch or tension the strands from either end thereof is very difficult, and to simplify and efficiently cure the condition, I have arranged a small tool inexpensive to manufacture, easily applied and effective in its performance; furthermore the tool is permanently applied and will function for future retension that may be required.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tool that will engage on a strand of wire and when turned will wind the said wire thereon, taking up the slack to a proper tension, and means in the tool engaging with the wire to avoid unwinding which would otherwise occur, the said tool as applied will function repeatedly in the future by further winding should the wire become slack later, or other similar winding tools may be applied at intervals along the strand to assist in taking up the slack.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like characters will apply to like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the winding tool, showing a strand of wire in position prior to winding.

the same.

Fig. 2 is a transverse view of Fig. 1 showing the wire wound on the tool, and its hook engagement with the wire to avoid unwinding.

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view showing the position of the winding tool on the wire when wound to a desired tension.

The invention herein disclosed consists of a winding tool made from a single piece of metallic rod or the like comprising a medial fold of the same lapping back on it self to form a U as at l, the legs 2-2 being spaced apart to receive one or more strands of barbed wire or other like fencing as indicated at 3, the latter being more fully described with respect to the function of the winding tool.

Each leg 22 of the winding tool being substantially in parallelism from the bending point A; each leg has an oppositely disposed bend outward and obliquely backward correspondingly as shown at BB and a portion of the terminating ends of each has formed thereon a hook like structure C-C, the free ends of each hook oppositely extending and adapted to engage with the strand on each side of the point where it is wound about the legs of the U shaped portion as at D, by which means unwinding is avoided, when the strand is properly tensioned by turning the said winding tool clockwise, as shown by dotted lines E, should the same strand become slack at any time, other winding tools may be applied at intervals on the said strand in like manner; and should future tightening be required, the winding process may be continued, it being understood that the said winding tools are permanently positioned for future use.

To apply the tool, the strand is positioned between the legs of the U shaped portion a distance sufficient to avoid contact with the hooks and to turn the tool, the jaws of any proper tool is applied to the legs adjacent the medial bend, and by turning clockwise to the desired wind of the strands about the legs, the said strand is tightened and locked by engagement of the hooks as heretofore described.

While I have shown a single strand of wire, it will be understood that the tool will function on any conventional type of wire strands used for fencing or the like, and other modifications with respect to the tool as set forth may be made as lie within the scope of the appending claims. I

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wire tightening clip of the class described, comprising a structure made from a single piece of wire consisting of a U shaped member, the legs of which are in parallelism, and an outer portion of each leg having an abrupt bend from each other, and the bent portion obliquely extending toward the U shaped portion, the terminating end of the last said portions having a hook formed thereon, the said hooks in parallelism with each other, and turned in opposite directions to engage on a wire when wound on the U shaped portion to avoid unwinding of the wire.

2. In a wire tightening clip of the class described, a U shaped member, the legs of which are in parallelism, each leg being bent outward from each other and downward toward the bend Where the U shape begins, and another bend for an end of each oblique bent portion, the said end portion bent to parallelism with each other, and from thence transversely, forming a hook on each thereof, extending in opposite directions as locking means to a wire at each side of the said U shaped portion to avoid unwinding of a wire wound on the U shaped portion.

CLARENCE E. HEDRICK. 

